SKOWHEGAN – For three innings on Saturday, the Bangor Rams cruised.

For two more, the Bangor defense made enough big plays to hold Skowhegan scoreless.

But in the sixth inning of the Eastern Maine Class A baseball semifinal – after managing only two hits against starter Joe Vanidestine – the Indians got the chance they were looking for.

Pat Perrault delivered.

The junior right fielder worked Vanidestine to a 2-0 count, waited patiently as the Rams brought in reliever Ryan Curran to face him, and eventually lashed a 3-2 fastball to right field. The hit scored Jeremy York from third and gave the Indians a 2-1 win.

“Coach told me to take the first pitch. I did,” Perrault said.

And after Curran delivered a ball to make the count 3-2, Perrault had a pretty good idea what was going to happen next.

“He threw some fastballs,” Perrault said. “He gave me a pitch to hit.”

The No. 2 Indians improved to 12-2 and earned a berth in Wednesday’s Eastern Maine championship game against No. 1 Waterville. The teams meet at 3 p.m. at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor.

The No. 3 Rams, who finished 13-4-1, broke through for a run in the top of the first after loading the bases with nobody out. But York (3-1) got out of that bind and grew stronger the longer he worked: He never faced more than four batters in an inning the rest of the way.

“As the game went on, I really thought we’d get to him again,” Bangor coach Jeff Fahey said. “The kid did a great job.”

York mixed a slippery slider with a lively fastball and occasional curve to keep the Rams off-balance. York allowed six hits, struck out six, and didn’t walk a batter.

“I got out of some jams, but I felt comfortable out there,” York said. “I wasn’t worried.”

After loading the bases, Bangor scored its run when Justin Libbey hit a one-hopper back to the mound, York threw the ball to the plate for the force, but catcher B.J. Dunlap’s throw to complete the double play caromed off Libbey and into right field.

An alert Vanidestine scored from second base on the play.

After that, it was up to Vanidestine and the Rams to hold the Indians.

The senior lefty wasn’t overpowering, but he consistently fooled the Indians with a sweeping curve and sneaky-quick fastball.

Vanidestine was perfect through three innings and allowed only two hits in 5? innings. He struck out one but walked six.

In the sixth, Brett Bedard lashed a single to left, Vanidestine fumbled York’s bunt, and James York pushed the runners to second and third with a sacrifice of his own.

Vanidestine walked Sean Walker to load the bases, then uncorked a first-pitch wild pitch to Nelson that allowed Bedard to trot home and tie the game.

Bryan Nelson walked on four pitches and Vanidestine went 2-0 on Perrault before giving way to Curran.

“Ryan Curran came in because we knew he’d throw strikes,”Fahey said. “And he did. The kid just ripped it to right.”

Ryan Worcester collected two singles out of the six hits York allowed.

Indians 2, Rams 1

Bangor (13-4-1) Skowhegan (12-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Worcester, cf 3 0 2 0 Bedard, cf 2 0

Vanidestine, p-rf 3 1 1 0 Je. York, p 3 0

Shea, 2b 3 0 1 0 Ja. York, 3b 1 0 0

Libbey, 3b 3 0 1 0 Walker, ss 2 0 0

Johnson, 1b 3 0 0 0 Nelson, dh 1 0 0

Bouchard, c 3 0 0 0 Preble, 1b 0 0 0

Proctor, dh 3 0 0 0 Perrault, rf 3 0 1

Anderson, lf 0 0 0 0 Dunlap, c 2 0 0

Sullivan, rf-lf 3 0 1 0 Bolduc, 2b 1 0

Bombardier, ss 2 0 0 0 Kirby, lf 2 0

Totals 26 1 6 0 Totals 17 2 3 1

Bangor 100 000 0 ? 1

Skowhegan 000 002 x ? 2

E?Libbey, Vanidestine; Walker, Dunlap; LOB?Bangor 5; Skowhegan 4; DP?Worcester-Curran-Bouchard-Libby; Dunlap-Walker; S?Bombardier; Ja. York 2; SB?Johnson

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Vanidestine (L, 5-2) 6 2 2 1 6 1

Curran ? 1 0 0 0 0

Skowhegan IP H R ER BB SO

Je. York (W, 3-1) 7 6 6 1 0 6

WP?Vanidestine; Je. York; T?1:28; ATT?200 (est.)